Dental impression tray



Aug. 14, 1951 f N. MQLAUGHLINv DENTAL IMPRESSION TRAY Filed June 20, 1947 JNVENTOR. /Ved M0 BYE- Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE' 2,564,167 l Y f DENTAL IMPRESSION TRAY Neil McLaughlin, lermontville, Mich. Application June 20, 1947, Serial No. 756,024 Y l 2 Claims.

My invention, specically stated, relates to a tray more especially intended for immediate upper denture impressions; the invention having for its object the provision of a tray which is contoured tothe muscle and ligament attachments or elements of a normal mouth with six or less anterior teeth remaining; my improved tray y labial anges of the tray with impression material holding or retaining surfaces.

The invention also has for its object the provision of a tray provided. with a comparatively deep cavity disposed beneath the plane of the main body portion, said cavity being provided with upstanding labial flanges which are spaced from each other and from the main body portion; while the posterior end of the tray is formed with a smooth or plane perimeter in the hamular notch region. That is to say, the labial flange of the tray at predetermined points is provided with vertical slots extending from top to bottom, namely at the incisor region and rearward of both cuspid regions, whereby a pair of independently bendable labial sections is provided which enables easy adjustment of the tray to be made in keeping with variations in mouth or gum contour; the tray in the anterior region being what may be termed oversize so as to completely cover or compensate for six anterior teeth. In my improved tray, the area of the tray forward of the first bicuspid area is dropped below the general plane or level of the major portion of the tray to provide clearance for the anterior teeth.

The aforementioned objects and advantages, as well as other advantages inherent in the improved structure, will all be readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved tray.

Figure 2 is a top plan View.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the tray.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a front end elevation.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 2. y

The tray, which preferably is formed of semirigid yet pliable material such as aluminum or a lead alloy, consists of the rearwardly flared and arcuate palate constituting bcdy'portion I0, provided with the side marginal upwardly curved anges II, II, of somewhat gradual and greater flare toward the inner or posterior end of the tray as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6, and without upward curvature inthe hamular notch region and thus preventing cutting of the tissues.

The forward portion of the tray, namely the portion of the tray anterior to the rst bicuspid areas is arranged in a plane below'thev longitudinal plane or level of therbodyy portion I0; as shown by the downwardly disposed and forwardly sloping wall I2 to provide the incisor and cuspid receiving cavity or comparatively deep socket portion I3 which terminates in the substantially perpendicular and transversely curved and upwardly extending labial flanges I4, I4.

The labial flanges I4, I4, which are substantially of equal dimensions, are separated from each other by the vertical slot I5 which extends from top to bottom; and these labial portions I4, I4 are each separated from the side flanges II, II by the vertical slots I6, I6. The slot I5 provides space for the tissue attachment or labial fraenum while the slots I6, I 6 make provision for muscle and ligament attachments and permit trimming of the portions I4, I4 adjacent the upper ends of the slots I5, I6 when required to compensate for abnormal attachments.

With the labial portions I4, I4 separated from each other and from the anges of the body portion I0, the portions I4, I4 may be independently bent to accommodate peculiar irregularities in the incisor and/or cuspid regions of a mouth without interfering with the normal or desired contour of the main or palate portion of the tray.

As previously stated, my improved tray is especially intended and constructed for what is known as immediate dentures, namely when only six anterior teeth or less are remaining, and provides a lowered or dropped down deep cavity to receive the siX anterior teeth, as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The cavity or socket at I3 receives the usual impression forming plastic material and in order that the impression material may be properly held in the cavity, the upstanding walls or labial flanges I4, I4 are provided with suitable retention or interrupted surfaces which, in the exemplification shown in the drawing, consist of the perforations or holes indicated at I1, of which any suitable number are provided.

The tray preferably is made of some semi-rigid yet pliable material which will enable the dentist or operator to properly bend the labial ilanges and/or permit slight trimming with suitable shears of the flange perimeters to meet individual mouth pecularties. The tray, which may be made in different sizes, viz. small, medium and large, has no upward curve in the hamular notch region and thus prevents cutting of the tissues.

Certain detail modications in the specific exemplication may be possible without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention as delined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A dental impression, single piece tray of moldable sheet material formed to provide a body or palate portion having a plane posterior perimeter and side peripheral outwardly flaring flanges and With an anterior end disposed below the horizontal plane of the deepest part of the posterior section of the body portion to provide an incisor, cuspid and impression material receiving arcuate cavity, the outer Wall of said cavity portion being vertically slit from top to bottom to provide separately and independently bendable upstanding labial anges unconnected at the ends with each other and with the flanges of, the body portion, but in close edgewise relation, said labial iianges being separated from each other at the longitudinal median line of the tray to extend upwardly on opposite sides of the labial fraenum and provided with rounded outer corners to accommodate the labial fraenum and permit the respective sections to extend substantially flush with the anterior teeth and gum.

2. A single piece dental impression tray formed to provide a transverse arcuate body or palate portion, without an upward curvature in the harnular notch region, but having laterally flaring side anges tapering toward the front end and said end disposed downwardly and thence forwardly in a plane beneath the horizontal plane of the body portion to provide a cavity adapted to receive impression material and anterior teeth and having a substantially flat-bottom, the outer forward Wall of said cavity being formed to provide a pair of upstanding labial angesof transverse curvature separated from each other and from the side flanges of the body portion by ligament and tissue receiving vertical slits extending from top to bottom to permit freedom of motion of the entire perimeter of the tray, both bucal and labial, to conform to mouth conditions, said labial anges having arcuate perimeters and being provided with plastic material retention surfaces.

NEIL MCLAUGHLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '720,105 Brouillet Feb. 10, 1903 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 45,985 Germany July 17, 1888 824,087 France Nov. 3, 1937 

